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CONTENTS
--------Electric Scotland News
The Flag in the Wind
Clan and Family Information
Poetry and Stories
Book of Scottish Story
The Concise Household Encyclopaedia
The Writings of John Muir
Fraser's Scottish Annual
Robert Burns Lives!
Among the Forrest Trees
Alberta, Past and Present, Historical and Biographical
The Scottish Church
Inverness-Shire, Parish by Parish
Recollections and Experiences of an Abolitionist (New Book)
Beth's Newfangled Family Tree
Antique Photographs of the Poncas
Fallbrook Farm Heritage Site

ELECTRIC SCOTLAND NEWS
----------------------
I'm trying an experiment with this newsletter in that I'm attaching
it as a pdf file. I've been told by several people that as there are
so many links in the newsletter that it is seen as spam and hence it
doesn't get through to your email box. I've also been getting a few
emails in asking if I can provide information in a pdf file and so
started to wonder if this is a way of getting email through to folk
and so figured it would be worth a try. So let me know if this works
for you and if it does I may start to do it this way in future. All
I've done is to go to our archives where I keep all the copies of
the newsletter and then just told the adobe reader to "convert" the
page to a pdf file

And having just made the above
statement I am already getting emails that the pdf file is not going
through and all you are getting is a file 2.att and I haven't a clue
what that file is. And so as soon as the last run is complete
I'll do another run with the normal email. I did do a preview
to test the attachment and it did work with that just fine which is
why I went ahead with it. So sorry for the problems and hope I
haven't upset you too much. I have since however found a resolution
to the problem in that you can just save the file to your desktop
and rename from 2.att to 2.pdf and that will work or you can tell
your operating system to load an .att file in adobe.

-----

I might add that I got a couple of wee old Scottish Rhymes in from
New Zealand to add to our Street Poetry pages. You can see these at
the end of Page 5 at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/literat/spoetry.htm

I haven't actually mentioned these pages for a while now. When we
set out to create these pages it was really to create a wee archive
of the old rhymes we used to say at school in the old days and at
the time we got a lot of wee contributions and hence got 5 pages
worth of them. Do feel free to send me in any that you remember and
that we don't already have up on these pages.

-----

While I'm at it do any of you remember all the options for dropping
cutlery? Like...

To drop a fork means a woman will visit
To drop a knife means a man will visit
To drop a spoon means a child will visit

I'm sure there are more of these as I remember my mother saying
these things but also sure there were more options like who would
visit if you dropped a teaspoon?

Should you have any knowledge of these things please share them with
me :-)

-----

I've been contacted by a company that is willing to take some of our
historical book texts from the site and turn them into a book which
of course they will then sell. Just thought I'd ask you if any of
the books in the first section of our online books page (Complete
Books) were turned into books would you purchase a copy and if so
what books would you like to see. The list of books are at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/books.htm

ABOUT THE STORIES
-----------------
Some of the stories in here are just parts of a larger story so do
check out the site for the full versions. You can always find the
link in our "What's New" section at the link at the top of this
newsletter or on our site menu.

THE FLAG IN THE WIND
--------------------
This weeks Flag is compiled by Mark Hirst and he's really just
telling a very large story about... "Lockerbie decisions will have
far reaching implications for Scots legal system".

Clan Leslie will be at the Leslieville 125th Anniversary celebration
in Toronto on June 20th. They will have a Clan Leslie Tent there to
give people information on the Clan Leslie and Harold Leslie, who is
related to George Leslie, founder of Leslieville.

Poetry and Stories
------------------
John sent in another poem this week...

Book of Scottish Story
----------------------
Our thanks to John Henderson for sending this in for us.

This week have added...

Elphin Irving, the Fairies' Cupbearer
by Allan Cunningham

Here is how it starts...

Chapter 2

Meanwhile, the rumour flew over the vale that Elphin Irving was
drowned in Corriewater. Matron and maid, old man and young,
collected suddenly along the banks of the river, which now began to
subside to its natural summer limits, and commenced their search;
interrupted every now and then by calling from side to side, and
from pool to pool, and by exclamations of sorrow for this
misfortune. The search was fruitless: five sheep, pertaining to the
flock which he conducted to pasture, were found drowned in one of
the deep eddies; but the river was still too brown, from the soil of
its moorland sources, to enable them to see what its deep shelves,
its pools, and its overhanging and hazelly banks concealed. They
remitted further search till the stream should become pure; and old
man taking old man aside, began to whisper about the mystery of the
youth’s disappearance : old women laid their lips to the ears of
their co-evals, and talked of Elphin Irving’s fairy parentage, and
his having been dropped by an unearthly hand into a Christian
cradle. The young men and maids conversed on other themes ; they
grieved for the loss of the friend and the lover, and while the
former thought that a heart so kind and true was not left in the
vale, the latter thought, as maidens will, on his handsome person,
gentle manners, and merry blue eye, and speculated with a sigh on
the time when they might have hoped a return for their love. They
were soon joined by others who had heard the wild and delirious
language of his sister : the old belief was added to the new
assurance, and both again commented upon by minds full of
superstitious feeling, and hearts full of supernatural fears, till
the youths and maidens of Corrievale held no more love trysts for
seven days and nights, lest, like Elphin Irving, they should be
carried away to augment the ranks of the unchristened chivalry.

The Writings of John Muir
-------------------------
We have now started on the 6th volume.

The chapters added this week are...

Chapter III. The Yosemite National Park
Chapter IV. The Forests of the Yosemite Park
Chapter V. The Wild Gardens of the Yosemite Park
Chapter VI. Among the Animals of the Yosemite
Chapter VII. Among the Birds of the Yosemite
Chapter VIII. The Fountains and Streams of the Yosemite National
Park
Chapter IX. The Sequoia and General Grant National Parks

I had a chat with Ranald McIntyre this week and he's been reading
this series as we've posted it up. He commented that Muir was
talking about climate change in one of these chapters which just
shows how much he was ahead of his time.

Here is a bit from Volume 6 chapter V...

WHEN California was wild, it was the floweriest part of the
continent. And perhaps it is so still, notwithstanding the lowland
flora has in great part vanished before the farmers' flocks and
ploughs. So exuberant was the bloom of the main valley of the state,
it would still have been extravagantly rich had ninety-nine out of
every hundred of its crowded flowers been taken away, - far
flowerier than the beautiful prairies of Illinois and Wisconsin, or
the savannas of the Southern states. In the early spring it was a
smooth, evenly planted sheet of purple and gold, one mass of bloom
more than four hundred miles long, with scarce a green leaf in
sight.

Still more interesting is the rich and wonderfully varied flora of
the mountains. Going up the Sierra across the Yosemite Park to the
Summit peaks, thirteen thousand feet high, you find as much variety
in the vegetation as in the scenery. Change succeeds change with
bewildering rapidity, for in a few days you pass through as many
climates and floras, ranged one above another, as you would in
walking along the lowlands to the Arctic Ocean.

And to the variety due to climate there is added that caused by the
topographical features of the different regions. Again, the
vegetation is profoundly varied by the peculiar distribution of the
soil and moisture. Broad and deep moraines, ancient and well
weathered, are spread over the lower regions, rough and
comparatively recent and unweathered moraines over the middle and
upper regions, alternating with bare ridges and domes and
glacier-polished pavements, the highest in the icy recesses of the
peaks, raw and shifting, some of them being still in process of
formation, and of course scarcely planted as yet.

Besides these main soil-beds there are many others comparatively
small, reformations of both glacial and weather-soils, sifted,
sorted out, and deposited by running water and the wind on gentle
slopes and in all sorts of hollows, potholes, valleys, lake basins,
etc., some in dry and breezy situations, others sheltered and kept
moist by lakes, streams, and waftings of waterfall spray, making
comfortable homes for plants widely varied. In general, glaciers
give soil to high and low places almost alike, while water currents
are dispensers of special blessings, constantly tending to make the
ridges poorer and the valleys richer. Glaciers mingle all kinds of
material together, mud particles and boulders fifty feet in
diameter: water, whether in oozing currents or passionate torrents,
discriminates both in the size and shape of the material it carries.
Glacier mud is the finest meal ground for any use in the Park, and
its transportation into lakes and as foundations for flowery garden
meadows was the first work that the young rivers were called on to
do. Bogs occur only in shallow alpine basins where the climate is
cool enough for sphagnum, and where the surrounding topographical
conditions are such that they are safe, even in the most copious
rains and thaws, from the action of flood currents capable of
carrying rough gravel and sand, but where the water supply is
nevertheless constant.

The mosses dying from year to year gradually give rise to those rich
spongy peat-beds in which so many of our best alpine plants delight
to dwell. The strong winds that occasionally sweep the high Sierra
play a more important part in the distribution of special soil-beds
than is at first sight recognized, carrying forward considerable
quantities of sand and gravel, flakes of mica, etc., and depositing
them in fields and beds beautifully ruffled and embroidered and
adapted to the wants of some of the hardiest and handsomest of the
alpine shrubs and flowers. The more resisting of the smooth, solid,
glacier-polished domes and ridges can hardly be said to have any
soil at all, while others beginning to give way to the weather are
thinly sprinkled with coarse angular gravel. Some of them are full
of crystals, which as the surface of the rock is decomposed are set
free, covering the summits and rolling down the sides in minute
avalanches, giving rise to zones and beds of crystalline soil. In
some instances the various crystals occur only here and there,
sprinkled in the gray gravel like daisies in a sod; but in others
half or more is made up of crystals, and the glow of the imbedded or
loosely strewn gems and their colored gleams and glintings at
different times of the day when the sun is shining might well
exhilarate the flowers that grow among them, and console them for
being so completely outshone.

Margery Scott's Epitaph
Early Scotch Merchants of Montreal
The Old Scottish Ballads
The Muckle Fair
The Canadian Pioneers
Celtic Manuscript Illumination
Leading Scottish Books of the Year

Here is one of the stories from "The Old Scottish Ballads"...

By John D. Ross, LL.D.

I HAVE always had a tender and sincere regard for the old Scottish
ballads. In my boyhood days they were a continual source of delight
to me, and I used to pore over them at all convenient hours. A
goodly portion of them were also committed to memory, and to-day I
can repeat them and enjoy them as much as I did in the years gone
by. What a curious collection of old legendary lore they are, to be
sure. What wild adventures on land and on sea do they chronicle;
what wonderful deeds of daring in love and in war; what heroic
self-sacrifices; what hairbreadth escapes; what mysterious doings of
spirits, water kelpies, goblins, fairies, and so forth. Really, when
I take up a volume of these old favorites I am always sure to
immediately alight on one that just suits the particular mood in
which I may happen at the moment to be. Even the particular haze of
antiquity which envelopes so many of them has a strange fascination
for me, and I love to linger in their company. Well do I remember
the first of these ballads that attracted my attention. It was the
little one entitled "Geordie." How dramatically it opens:

There was a battle in the north,
And nobles there were manie;
And they hae killed Sir Charlie Hay
And laid the blame on Geordie.

"Geordie" is supposed to have been George Gordon, fourth Earl of
Huntly, and the time of the incident related in the ballad is in the
reign of King James V. Consigned not only to prison, but to death,
for a crime of which he is innocent, the earl writes a long letter
to his spouse acquainting her with the fact and requesting her
immediate presence by his side:

Oh, he has written a lang letter;
He sent it to his ladye
"It's ye maun come to E'nbrugh town
To see what word's of Geordie."

When first see look'd the letter on,
She was baih red and rosy;
But she hadna read a word but twa
Till she turned pale as a lily.

But this was no time for idle grief. She had to be up and doing, and
so she brushed her tears aside and gave orders to

But alas her appeal found no responsive chord in the heart of James
V. Indeed, it seemed only to anger him, for he called out:

"Gar bid the heiding man mak' haste."

Convinced that this line of action will not avail her any, the lady
tries to move him to pity through an offer of her worldly
possessions.

"O noble king, tak' a' that's mine,
But gie me back my Geordie."

Still the king proved unrelenting, and the lady was just about to
call on the men who had accompanied her, to attempt a rescue by
force, when a crafty old earl ventured the suggestion:

"Oar her tell down five thousand pounds
And she'll buy back her Geordie."

This suggestion seems to have pleased the king. It harmonized with
his own ideas on the subject, and he spoke out accordingly.

But five thousand pounds was a very large sum of money to get
together in so short a notice, yet the noble lady was not to be
thwarted in her design by such a small matter as that. She
immediately appealed to the bystanders, and they seem to have been
liberally supplied with spare cash in those days, for

Some ga'e her merks, some ga'e her crowns,
Some ga'e her dollars many,
And she's told down five thousand pounds
And she's gotten again her deane.

And the ballad appropriately concludes with a hint as to what might
have taken place had the earl not been liberated, and a compliment
from the earl to his lady, which all will agree with me in saying
she richly deserved:

She blinket blythe in Geordie's face
Says, "Dear I've bought thee, Geordie,
But there would have been bloody bodies seen
Or I had tint my lordie."

He clasped her by the middle sma'
And he kissed her lips sae rosy;
"The fairest flower of womankind
Is my sweet bonnie ladye."

I do not point out this ballad as being the best, or even one of the
best, of the old Scottish ballads, but simply because it was the one
which first thrilled me with delight and led me to continue my
studies in this direction. I have read many ballads since then, much
finer ones in many respects, I will admit, but "Geordie" has a charm
for me yet, and ever will have.

Of the many books written to commerate the 250th birthday of Robert
Burns, a handful stand out and can be judged to be exceptional. In
this case, Chris Rollie’s Robert Burns in England is in that top
tier of books on Burns and, in one regard, stands alone in that he
is only the third person to have the privileged opportunity to hold
in his hands and study Burns’ original journal kept by the Bard
while crossing into the “foreign land” of England on three different
occasions. The other two were James Currie in 1800 and Alan
Cunningham in 1834.

This Burns journal has been in the hands of the John Murray
publishing family for nearly 200 years and has been kept out of
public eye except for the two times mentioned above. Much has been
written about the other tours of Burns, and all are well documented.
This journal of Burns, kept while on horseback during his forays
into England, is eye opening regarding his feelings while traveling
south of Scotland. Published by the New Cumnock Burns Club, Rollie’s
book sheds new light on this important time in Burns life which,
until now, has been largely untouched by other authors. I feel we
are indeed fortunate to have this treasure chest of fresh
information presented to us for the first time. What a joy you will
have exploring these pages on Burns.

Among the Forrest Trees
-----------------------
or How the Bushman Family got their Homes, by being a book of facts
and incidents of pioneering life in Upper Canada, arranged in the
form of a story, by Rev. Joseph H. Hilts (1888)

We have several more chapters up now which also concludes this
book...

Chapter XXV - More Glimpses of Bush Life
A Tobacco-chewing Christian - A Strange Clock - A Big Scare - A Race
for Life - Plucky Canadians - Killed by Indians.

Chapter XXVI - The Mills Completed
The First Grist - The First Preacher - The Meeting-house - The Post
Office - The Store - Sylvanus Yardstick.

"Well, I never saw one, either. But I have heard mother say that
grandfather used to come home from logging-bees with an awful black
shirt, when she was a girl. The coal-dust was something terrible,
and to wash the clothes that had been worn at one of those places
was something that tried the strength and patience of the women
beyond anything."

This talk was between James Ballpitcher and William Batter, as they
were coming home from a game of lacrosse, between a company of
Indians and a club of high-school boys, the Indians having come out
a little ahead.

"Well," said James, "my uncle, Peter Pinetop, is at our house on a
visit. He lives in a part of the country where logging-bees are a
common thing. You come across the fields to-night, and we will ask
him to give us full information about them."

"That would be a good idea," said William. "We young Canadians are
almost in danger of losing sight of the customs and manners of our
forefathers. Things have so changed that we know but little,
practically, of what the pioneers of this country had to do, and how
they did their work. There are a number of things that we need to be
posted upon, and I am going to get all the information I can. And I
know of no better or safer way than to ask the old people to tell
us."

"Yes," replied James; "we must get the old folks to talk more on
these subjects. They will soon be gone, and when it is too late we
will wish that we had oftener got them to tell of the earlier times.
I have heard some of the old people speak of husking-bees, and
spinning-bees, that used to be common when they were young. These
things are not heard of now, you know. In fact, Will, I believe that
many of us young people in this country have a better knowledge of
what the Spartans and old Romans did in their day, than we have of
what our ancestors did in this land seventy-five or a hundred years
ago. Will you come this evening, and we will begin our efforts to
get information on these subjects?"

"Yes, James, I will come, for I agree with you that we are not so
well informed on matters of everyday life among our ancestors in
this country as we ought to be. I could tell more about Rome, in the
time of the Caesars, than I can tell about my native country at the
time that my grandfather was a boy," answered William.

Alberta, Past and Present, Historical and Biographical
------------------------------------------------------
By John Blue, B.A. (1924)

We now have now completed Volume 1 with the following chapters...

Chapter XXIV
Women's Organizations and Activities

Appendix

I have also completed the Scots biographies in Volume 2 and made a
start at some from Volume 3.

It is our intention to make available the biographies of any Scots
in these 2 biographical volumes but we've made the whole list
available in the event anyone wants to know if a relation is
included. Note also that is was not possible to identify all Scots
from the biographies due to lack of information so it's possible we
missed a few. I do note with interest that some that we can't
identify as Scottish were raised in very Scottish areas such as
Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia and also went to Scottish
founded universities. Quite a few also went into business with other
Scots.]

Volume 2 - Biographical
[Note: some 25+% of the biographies in this volume are Scots or
people of Scots descent thus showing the impact that Scots had on
the Province of Alberta.]

The Scottish Church
-------------------
From Earliest Times to 1881, By W. Chambers (1881)

Our thanks go to John Henderson for sending this into us.

we've added another Lecture...

Lecture IV
Pre-Reformation Scotland, 1513 to 1559 A.D., By the Rev. Alexander
F. Mitchell, D.D., Professor of Ecclesiastical History in the
University of St Andrews.

It starts...

I CANNOT, like my predecessors, complain of the length of the period
of which I have to treat. But events of the greatest interest and
importance are crowded into it. With the exception of the
introduction of Christianity into the world, the Reformation of the
sixteenth century is the most glorious revolution that has occurred
in the history of our race; and that period of earnest contending
and heroic suffering which prepared the way for it, and the story of
the men who, by God's grace, were enabled to bear the brunt of the
battle, and at last to lead their countrymen on to victory, will
ever have a fascination for all in whose hearts patriotism is not
extinct nor religion dead.

Chapter X. Glenelg
The Glenelg men Ferociously attack a Lochalsh Funeral Party
A Macdonell-Macleod Marriage Contract
Leases, Roads, Railways, and Recruiting
The Frasers of Lovat and the Macleods
North Morar

Chapter XI. Ardnamurchan
Arisaig and South Morar—Modern Evictions and Last Century Rentals
Eilean Tioram Castle and Lands
Glenaladale and Prince Charles

Chapter XII. Small Isles
Canna and Elgg---Old Tenants and Rentals

Chapter XIII. Sleat
The Macdonalds
Property left by Sir Alexander—inventory
Roderick Macdonald of Camuscross and his son James
Marshal Macdonald's visit to Skye—a curious salutation

Chapter XIV. Sirath
The Mackinnons of that Ilk
The Elgol and Camusunary Tenants in 1785
The Mackinnons of Corry and others
The Farmer-Minister and the Publican
The MacAllisters in Strath

Chapter XV. Portree
Malcolm Nicolson, Scorrybreck
How a French Invasion was repelled

Chapter XVI. Kilmuir
Duntulm Castle and the Duntulm Centenarian

Here is a wee story from the last chapter...

SIR ALEXANDER MACDONALD had large transactions with Perthshire
cattle-dealers, and also regularly sent stock under his own men to
the English markets, but great as his handling was, as already shown
under the Parish of Sleat, he is found borrowing money to carry on.
I have a bond by him to Mr Alexander Nicolson, minister of the
gospel, at Aird, in Sleat, for the sum of seven thousand merks,
dated at Ord, 22nd October, 1744, and witnessed by Alexander
Macdonald of Kingsburgh, and Donald Macdonald of Castleton.

The family at this period had already removed from Duntulm to
Monkstadt. When on a previous occasion I was in Skye, I heard that a
very old woman, reputed to have passed her 100th year, lived not far
from Duntulm. In 1892 she came to the roadside to meet me by
request, accompanied by all the women and children of her township.
I found the old lady most interesting, her chief story—and on
account of which she was best known—was that she had in her youth
spoken to a woman who, in her 16th year, attended and danced at the
last ball held in the Castle of Duntulm, where Simon Lord Lovat and
several Inverness-shire and Argyleshire proprietors were present.

I am not exactly sure when Duntuim was vacated, but believe it was
between 1720 and 1730. Supposing this ball occurred in 1728, my
visitor had seen and conversed with a woman born in 1712, 180 years
before my visit.

Duntulm Castle has been a ruin for more than 150 years, and it is
greatly to be regretted that so much of it was destroyed and carried
away for base purposes within the memory of many living.

Recollections and Experiences of an Abolitionist
------------------------------------------------
By Dr Ross (1875)

This is a new book I'm starting and my purpose in doing it was that
the Clan Ross invited me to a dedication ceremony in Chatham where a
plaque is to be placed for Dr Ross in recognition of his work in
freeing the slaves and his work with the Underground Railway. I thus
thought that it would be worthwhile to put something up about his
work. I will add some pictures of the ceremony at the Freedom Park
in Chatham at a later date.

We also have a small biography of him on the site and here is a
little of what it says...

Montreal, the eminent Canadian Philanthropist, Scientist and Author,
has had a career of striking interest. He was born on December 13th,
1832, in Bellesville, Ontario. His parents were desendants of Scotch
Highlanders, who came to Canada from Ross-shire, Scotland, in 1758.
In his boyhood he made his way to New York city, and after
struggling with many advertisites, became a compositor in the office
of the Evening Post, then edited and owned by Willian Cullen Bryant,
the poet. Mr Bryant became much interested in young Ross, and ever
after remained his steadfast friend. It was during this period that
he became acquainted with General Garibaldi, who at that time was a
resident of New York, and employed in making candles. This
acquaintance soon ripened into a warm friendship, which continued
unbroken down to Garibaldi's death in 1882. It was through Dt.
Ross's efforts in 1874 that Garibaldi obtained his pension from the
Italian government. In 1851, Dr. Ross began the study of medicine,
under the direction of the celebrated Dr. Valentine Mott, and
subsequently under Dr. Trall, the hydropathist. After four years of
unremitting toil, working as compositor during the day and studying
medicine at night, he received his degree of M.D. in 1855, and
shortly after received the appointment of surgeon in the army of
Micaragua, then commanded by General William Walker.

He subsequently became actively and earnestly engaged in the
anti-slavery struggle in the United States, which culminated in th
eliberation from bondage of four million slaves. Dr. Ross was a
personal friend and co-worker of Captain John Brown, the martyr.
Although Dr. Ross's sphere of labour in that great struggle for
human freedom was less public than that of many other workers in the
cause, it was not less important, and required the exercise of
greater caution, courage and determination, and also involved
greater personal risk. Senator Wade, vice-president of the United
States, said, in speaking of the abolitionists: "Never in the
history of the world did the same number of men perform so great an
amount of good for the human race and for their country as the once
despised abolitionists, and it is my duty to add that no one of
their number submitted to greater privations, perils or sacrifices,
or did more in the great and noble work than Alexander Ross." He has
received the benediction of the philanthropists and poet, Whittier,
in the following noble words, which find their echo in the hearts of
thousands:-

Beth's Newfangled Family Tree
-----------------------------
The June issue is now available. Beth's Newfangled Family Tree is
filled with articles about things Scottish - from events in the USA
to famous Orkadians and inside information on travel. You'll find
articles of interest to genealogists and news of the Scots Clan
organizations as well as Flowers of the Forest.

I might add that they are now trying to raise funding for this
project and they would appreciate some financial support... even
$5.00 would be appreciated but more if possible. You can email a
pledge to [email protected]
and of course they'll only take your money if the project gets the
go ahead.

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